Device for making shaped pieces of ice



Dec. 16, 1930. c. J. GIBSON DEVICE FOR MAKING SHAPED PIECES OF ICE Filed Jan. 51, 1,929

ATTORNEY Patqnted Dec. 16,

UNITED STATES cna'anns J. emson, or ennmtvrrna, mrcnrem DEVICE roamxme smnn :emcas or ICE Application illed lamiaryal, 1929. Serial no. 336358;

The present inventidn relates to devices for making shaped-pieces of ice or other readily fusible material from already formed chunks or blocks. v

i Heretofore in forming blocks of ice for table use it has been customary and usual to freeze water in small containers of the shape and size of the desired pieces of ice. This procedure necessitated the use of refrigerat- 1 ing machinery and consequently is not available to the householder who is provided only with the type of refrigerator using ice.

.Among the objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide means by which ordinary size blocks of ice may be divided into accuratel shaped pieces simulating the individually rozenblocks.

Other objects will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device as used in conjunction with a large cake of ice or other readily fusible material- '25 Fig. 2 is a. perspective view of the present device with'certainparts omitted for clearness.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view indicating a modified form of wall which.

may be used.

It is preferred to make the double Walled partitions and outside portion of the frame with the lower ed e somewhat rounded as indicated at-13 whi e the upper edge may be open for the reception of resistance wires 14 and subsequently sealed' by some water proofing sealing composition n the manner well known inproducing resistance'heaters. The resistance'heater wires l iwillbeplaced between the walls of the partitions 11 and outside frame 10 and connected in any suitable manner to lead wires 20 bymeans of which electric current is supplied to the dev1ce.

If it is desired; a cover member 21 may be applied to the device but this is not\neces-' sary. Further, the device is preferably provided with a handle'22 by means of 'which it may be conveniently moved.

The heating element comprising the resistance wires 14 is preferably so designed that the desired temperature is readily attained so that when the device is placed on the block of ice indicated at 30, it readily melts itself down into the block so as'to dividethe upper surface into asmany sections asthere are openings in the device.

By means of the handle 22 the divider may then be withdrawn and the cubes readily broken off at their bases by means of an ice pick or other suitable instrument.

While the device" has been described as being provided with double walls in which the heating element 'is enclosed, the modification shown in Fig. 4 is also contemplated. In

this form of wall a single thickness of the metal will constitute the wall and. this will have the lower edge rolled as indicated at 35 with the heating element 14a enclosed therein.

While the drawings show the device to be divided into four parts so as to produce four cubes at a time, it is of course, obvious that a greater or less number may be provided for, without departing from the spirit of the invention and such indeed is contemplated. Further, while the openings in the device are shown as rectangular it is also obvious that.

other shapes may be provided, such as triangles and fancy'figures such as hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades.

Now, having described the invention and the preferred forms of embodiment thereof,

it is to be understood that the said invention is to be limited, not to the specific details, 

